Critical Role makes Twitch history after D&D show’s new campaign finally begins

Cult-fave Dungeons & Dragons show Critical Role has inked its name into the Twitch history books with the launch of its long-awaited third season, overtaking site superstars like xQc, Summit1g, and Shroud in the process.

In October, the new Critical Role season finally got underway.

Fans of the long-standing Dungeons & Dragons series have been eagerly awaiting the promised return to Marquet after Season 2 ended in spectacular fashion, and the show’s new campaign delivered in a big way. In the process, the long-running D&D show, which first started as a side project for several voice actors in 2015, has marched its way into Twitch history books.

This month Critical Role hit 111,000 subscribers on Twitch, clearing site superstars like Shroud (101k), xQc (82k), and Summit1g (94k) in the process.

The subscriber haul puts the episodic D&D series fourth on the all-time Twitch subs leaderboard behind Ranboo, Ninja, and reigning king Ludwig, who boasts a 283k highwater mark after an iconic Twitch subathon earlier this year.

Considering November has only just begun, Critical Role also has the chance to overtake Ranboo, who sits just 5,000 subscribers ahead.

• Ludwig — 283,066, in April 2021
• Ninja — 269,154, in April 2018
• Ranboolive — 116,870 — August 2021
• CriticalRole — 111,309, in November 2021
• Shroud — 101, 588, in March 2019
• Sumitt1g — 94,941 in May 2020
• xQc — 82,564 in June 2021

The subscriber haul, specifically 111,309, is also the most any shared Twitch channel has ever had. GamesDoneQuick comes closest with 46k in January 2019.

Critical Role has quietly become a major powerhouse on Twitch over the past few years, after originally starting on the GeekAndSundry channel six years ago.

When the show first began in 2015 the GeekAndSundry page shot up in followers, and when Matt Mercer and Marisha Ray made the decision to take Critical Role solo in 2018 their newly-founded channel quickly surged in popularity.

Today, Critical Role’s channel boasts a million followers.

Despite not dominating Twitch headlines, Critical Role is the highest-earning channel on Amazon’s platform, outstripping major creators like xQc, Shroud, and even the now-banned Dr Disrespect. In September’s Twitch leaks, it was revealed the D&D show has made $9.6m from subscribers since 2019.

• Read More: Critical Role’s fireside Twitch stream goes up in smoke

During the show’s third season premiere, Critical Role’s concurrent viewers hit just over 212,800, and another 274,297 have since watched on-demand.

Rewatch Critical Role’s Season 3 premiere right here.

Critical Role’s episodes run for between three and five hours, and air most Thursday nights on Twitch and YouTube. Episodes then air as podcasts.